Electrical hair curler



April 10, 1928;

A. H. OPPERMAN ELECTRICAL HAIR CURLER Filed April 25, 1925 IN VEN TOR:

A TTORNE Y.

Patented Apr. 10, 1928.

1,665,472 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUST H. OPPEBMAN, 0F INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

ELECTRICAL HAIR GURLER.

Application filed April 25, 1925. Serial No. 25,952.

an improved hair curler which shall be of such construction as to have only a few simple parts that may be obtained or produced at small cost to permit rapid and economical construction, and yet be highly efiicient in operation and not liable to injure hair when used by inexperienced or careless persons.

Another object is to provide an improved safety electrical hair curler which shall be so constructed as to be free from external or exposed electrical conducting material liable to conduct electrical current to the user with possible injurious results.

A further object is to provide a unitary hollow electrical hair curler which shall be capable of rapidly and efficiently performing its functions, partly by the advantageous use of heated air.

With the above-mentioned and other objects in view, the invention consists essentially in a unitary electrical hair curler having only a single piece requiring handling and manipulation during use; the invention consisting also further in the novel parts, and in the combinations and arrangements of parts, as hereinafter particularly described and further set forth in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings,Figure 1 is a side View of the improved electrical hair curler shown in connection with a wisp of hair as when the curler is in operation; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central section of the improved hair c'urler in which a strand of hair is arranged to be curled by means of electrically generated heat; Fig; 3 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the supported portion of the inner part of the curler that is constructed as a hollow core for the required electrical resistance coil, being on an enlarged scale; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the inner end portion of the inner part or core, also on an enlarged scale, and Fig. 5 is an end view of the hair curler.

Similar reference characters in the various figures of the drawings indicate correspondan injuriously ing elements or features of construction herein referred toin detail.

A practicalem'bodiment of the invention comprises a hollow cylindrical body part 1 havingahead 2 in one end thereof, con stituting a casing,.the head having a central aperture therein. The casing or body part preferably is composed of non-metallic substance, such as that commonly known as hard rubber, not capable of conductingelectrical current, the opposite end of the body part being open. I i

The hair curler has a novel inner part which is composed of suitable substance, such as lava, to distribute heat and not conduct electrical current, whereby to directly apply mild heat to hair therein that may be in contact with the part without risk of scorching the hair. The inner part com prises-a hollow cylindrical main portion 4.

having an anchor portion at one end thereof which comprises a bushing portion 5 that has relatively thick wall material and is closely fitted into the open end portion of the casingor body part, the main portion 4 being diametricallysmaller than the casing part to provide a chamber between the two parts, the inner end 6 of the bushing ortion being the forward end of the cham r, the bushing portion having a heat-dissipating flange or collar portion 7 on its outer end that has contact with the end of the casing. The bushing portion of the inner part has a suitable number of radial screwwhich are inserted through the casing or body part to firmly support the inner part or core. The inner part being cylindrical, it has a flared mouth 10 to facilitate entrance of a hair strand thereto. The periphery of the bushing portion has a transverse groove 11 from which small holes 12 are drilled to the end 60f the bushing portion whereby to anchor one end of aresistance coil. The inner end of the core or inner part preferably has a head 13 that is integral with the tubular portions of the core, and the edge portion of the head has small holes 14 therein to facilitate anchoring of the opposite end of the resistance coil. The outside of the main portion 4 of the core has a spiral groove 15 cut therein, being in practice similar to a small screw thread, and a resistance wire is wound about the core in the groove to constitute an electrical resistance coil or heating element 16, anchored at one end to the bushing portion 5 and at the opposite end in the holes 14. Electrical circuits 17 and 18 are connected to the ends respectively of the coil and adjacent to the head 13 are formed into a conventional cable or cord 19 that is formed into a knot 20 at the inner side of the head 2 of the casing, the cord being passed through the aperture 3 and being suitably connected with a plug 21 adapted to service socket, there being proper circuit wires 22 insulated in the cord or cable, as will be understood.

Although the casing may be safely han died without shock or burn to the user a handle preferably is provided for the better control thereof, the handle comprising a bar 23 having foot portions 2a and 25 adjacent to its ends and a handle portion 26 in proximity to one end of the bar and on the opposite side of the bar relatively to the foot portions. One foot portion is arranged against the casing 1 so as to be opposite to the bushing portion 5, and a screw 27 is inserted through suitable hole in the bar and through the casing and into one of the holes 8, the screw having'a head 28 that is received into a countersink 29. The opposite foot portion is arranged in proximity to thehead 2 and has a bolt 30 that extends through the casing and has a head 31 arranged in the countersink 32, a nut 33 being secured on the inner end of the screw firmly securing the foot portion to the easing.

As illustrative of the purposes of the invention, reference is had to a head of hair 34 from which a wisp 35 of hair is parted and twisted and wrapped about a flexible covered wire holder 36 to form a strand 3'? of suitable proportions to be received in the inner part or core of the heater.

Preferably the resistance or heater coilv has a suitable covering of asbestos or the like to prevent radiation of heat to the casing 1, but obviously may be omitted in some cases when a metallic casing or body part is desired to radiate heat therefrom.

In practical use the plug 21 is connected with a service socket to obtain electrical cur rent which may be switched on and off at will as may be required, the electrical cur rent causes heating of the resistance coil, and the heat thereof is directly imparted be connected with an electrical.

neeaava to the core and thereby radiated into the space in the core which has atmospheric air therein that becomes heated and circulates through the hair which is placed therein as illustrated. The hair is exposed to the heat a short time, approximately a minute but may remain longer in the core without injury to the hair, the substance of the core being such as to be a protection against radiation of an injurious degree of heat to the hair under the influence of properly designed resistance coil construction. When the hair has been sufficiently treated for the purpose desired the heater is readily re moved from the strand and successively applied to other strands.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In an electrical hair curler, the combination of a tubular non-electrical casing having a head fixed in one end thereof, a tubular electrically insulating and heat-distributing core having an externally enlarged bushing portion on one end portion thereof,

and inserted into the opposite end of the casing and secured thereto, the core extending into the casing and having a head lined in the inner end thereof, a resistance coil wound directly on the core and secured to said bushing portion and to the core head, and an electrical circuit connected with the coil and extending through the casing head.

2. in an electrical heater, the combination of a tubular non-electrical casing, a tubular core in the casing secured to and supported solely at one end by one end of the casing, the core being composed of lava and having a head in the opposite inner end thereof and an open outer end, an electrical heater coil directly on the exterior of the core, an electrical conductor connected with the coil and extending through the opposite end of the casing, a handle provided with a base bar having two foot portions arranged on the outside of the casing adjacent to its ends respectively, and screws in the foot portions respectively and securing them to the casing, one of the screws being connected'to the core and the other having a nut thereon of the casing.

In testimony whereof, I aihz; my signature 011 the20th day of April, 1925.

AUGUST H. OPPERMAN.

at the inside 

